    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2004, Book III)]
    [October 1, 2004]
    [Pages 2307-2314]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 2307]]

    Remarks in Allentown, Pennsylvania
    October 1, 2004

        The President. Thank you all. Thank you all for coming. It is
    great----
        Audience members. Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!
        The President. Thank you all for coming. It's--what a beautiful day
    to be here in the Lehigh Valley. It's great to be back in Allentown.
    It's a wonderful place to come after a debate.
        I'm so honored John McCain is traveling with
    me today. I'm proud of his friendship. I appreciate his leadership. I
    appreciate his courage, and I'm really grateful he's for me for
    President.
        We had a great debate last night. It highlighted some of the
    fundamental differences between my opponent
    and me, differences I believe are crucial for our national security.
    It's a big difference when it comes to supporting our troops. When
    America puts our troops in harm's way, I believe they deserve the best
    training, the best equipment, and the wholehearted support of our
    Government.
        My opponent last night said our troops
    deserve better. They certainly deserve better than they got from Senator
    Kerry when he voted to send them to war and then voted against funding
    our troops in combat.
        Audience members. Boo-o-o!
        The President. You may remember his famous quote about the
    supplemental funding that I sent up to Congress. He said, ``I actually did vote for the $87 billion, right
    before I voted against it.'' [Laughter] I understand.
        Last night----
        Audience members. Flip-flop! Flip-flop! Flip-flop!
        The President. Last night, he said he made
    a mistake in how he talked about that vote, but the mistake wasn't what
    Senator Kerry said. The mistake was what Senator Kerry did.
        He voted against supplying our troops
    after voting for putting them in harm's way. He then went on to say--
    after saying the 87 billion line, they kept pressing him. He said he was
    proud of his vote. And finally, he said, ``The whole thing was a
    complicated matter.'' Then he had a new wrinkle, a new explanation.
    During an interview this week, he described it as a protest vote.
        Audience members. Boo-o-o!
        The President. When we put American troops in harm's way, they
    certainly deserve better than to have a candidate for President use them
    as a protest.
        Last night, Senator Kerry only continued
    his pattern of confusing contradictions. After voting for the war, after
    saying my decision to remove Saddam Hussein
    from power was the right decision, he now says it was all a mistake.
        Audience members. Boo-o-o!
        The President. But I asked a logical question, does that mean our
    troops our dying for a mistake?
        Audience members. No-o-o!
        The President. That's what he said,
    ``No.'' You can't have it both ways. You can't say it's a mistake and
    not a mistake. You can't be for getting rid of Saddam Hussein when things look good and against it when times are
    hard. You can't claim terrorists are pouring across the border into Iraq
    yet, at the same time, try to claim that Iraq is somehow a diversion for
    war against terrorism. The President cannot keep changing his mind. The
    President must speak clearly, and the President must mean what he says.

    [[Page 2308]]

        Audience members. Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!
        The President. A crucial difference between my opponent and me is the most important question for voters this
    election: Who can lead this war against terror to victory? Which
    candidate can best protect America's families and our national security?
    And here my opponent has a fundamental misunderstanding of the nature of
    the war against terror, and he has no plan to win in Iraq. The
    cornerstone of Senator Kerry's plan for Iraq is that he would convene a
    summit.
        Audience members. Boo-o-o!
        The President. I've been to a lot of summits. [Laughter] I've never
    seen a meeting that would depose a tyrant or bring a terrorist to
    justice. Senator Kerry claims that he can work
    with our allies, yet he said those who are standing with us are not a
    part of a genuine coalition.
        Audience members. Boo-o-o!
        The President. He earlier called them ``a
    coalition of the coerced and the bribed,'' dismissed their sacrifices as
    window dressing. You cannot lead by pushing away the allies who are
    already with us or expect any support for a cause you've called a
    ``mistake'' or a ``grand diversion'' or ``the wrong war at the wrong
    place at the wrong time.'' The way to lead this coalition is not be
    disdainful or dismissive. The way to lead this coalition to victory is
    to be clear in our thinking, grateful for the sacrifices, and resolute
    in our determination to defeat the enemy.
        One other point I want to make about the debate last night. Senator
    Kerry last night said that America has to pass
    some sort of ``global test''----
        Audience members. Boo-o-o!
        The President. ----before we can use American troops to defend
    ourselves. He wants our national security
    decisions subject to the approval of a foreign government.
        Audience members. Boo-o-o!
        The President. Listen, I'll continue to work with our allies and the
    international community, but I will never submit America's national
    security to an international test. The use of troops to defend America
    must never be subject to a veto by countries like France. The
    President's job is not to take an international poll. The President's
    job is to defend America.
        I'm grateful you all are here today, because I'm here to ask for
    your vote. That's what I'm doing. Not only am I here to ask for your
    vote; I'm here to ask for your help. Listen, I know a lot of people
    worked hard to put this great crowd together, and I thank you for
    working hard to do so. I know there's a lot of people working hard to
    register people to vote, and I want to thank you for doing that too.
        And as you register people to vote, make sure you don't overlook
    discerning Democrats like Zell Miller. And after
    you get them registered to vote, I encourage you to turn out that vote.
    Get them headed to the polls. And remind them if they want a safer
    America, a stronger America, a better America, to put me and Dick
    Cheney back in office.
        Audience members. Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!
        The President. Listen, I like traveling with John McCain a lot. My only regret is that Laura is not here instead of him. [Laughter] I kissed her
    goodbye this morning in Miami, and she said, tell everybody hello in the
    Lehigh Valley. She was a public school librarian, and when I asked her
    to marry me, she said, ``Fine, I'll marry you, just so long as I never
    have to give a political speech.'' [Laughter] I said, ``You've got a
    deal.'' [Laughter] Fortunately, she didn't hold me to the promise. She's
    my best advocate. She's a great First Lady.
        Audience members. Laura! Laura! Laura!
        The President. Listen, I agree with you. I'm going to give you some
    reasons to put me back in, but perhaps the most important one is so that
    Laura will be First Lady for 4 more years.

    [[Page 2309]]

        I'm proud of my runningmate. I'm running with a good man in Dick
    Cheney. He doesn't have the waviest hair in the
    race. I didn't pick him for his hair. I picked him because of his
    judgment, his experience. I picked him because he can get the job done
    for the American people.
        I'm proud of the--Tom Ridge. He's done a
    fabulous job. I want to thank you for preparing him for an incredibly
    important assignment that he's doing.
        I know Arlen Specter is here. I want to--I
    urge you to put Arlen back in the United States Senate. I want to thank
    Congressman Pat Toomey. He's a classy guy.
    He really is. I'm honored to call him friend.
        I urge you to put Charlie Dent in the
    United States Congress. I want to thank all the candidates who are here.
    I want to thank the local officials who are here. I want to thank the
    Wil Gravatt Band, who is here. I want to thank
    the high school band that is here. But most of all, thank you all for
    coming. It's great to be with so many people.
        I'm really looking forward to this campaign. I'm going to tell the
    people what--where I stand, what I believe, and where I'll lead this
    Nation for the next 4 years.
        I believe every child can learn and every school must teach. I went
    to Washington to challenge the soft bigotry of low expectations. I
    believe we've got to raise the bar. I believe we must measure early to
    solve problems before it's too late. I know we've got to trust the local
    people to make the right decisions for your schools. We're making
    progress in America. We're closing the achievement gap, and we're not
    going to turn back to the old days.
        I believe we have a moral responsibility to honor our seniors with
    good health care. Medicare was not modernizing the way medicine was.
    See, I think the seniors got to have the best when it comes to health
    care. We used to pay--we'd pay $100,000 when it comes to heart surgery
    but not one dime for prescription drugs to prevent the heart surgery
    from being needed in the first place. That didn't make any sense for our
    seniors. It didn't make any sense for the taxpayers. We're modernizing
    Medicare for seniors to get prescription drug coverage in 2006, and
    we're not going to turn back.
        I believe in the energy, innovation, and the entrepreneurial spirit
    of our workers and small-business owners and farmers and ranchers.
    That's why we unleashed that energy with the largest tax relief in a
    generation.
        When you're out gathering up the vote, remind people what this
    economy has been through. The stock market started going down about 5 or
    6 months before Dick Cheney and I showed up in
    Washington. Then we had a recession. Then we had some corporate
    scandals. By the way, we passed new laws. It's abundantly clear to
    people of this country we're not going to tolerate dishonesty in the
    boardrooms of this country. And then we got attacked, and that attack
    hurt our economy.
        But this economy is strong, and it's getting stronger, growing at
    rates as fast as any in nearly 20 years. It's strong because our spirit
    is strong, and it's strong because of well-timed tax cuts.
        We've added about 1.7 million new jobs since last summer. The
    national unemployment rate is 5.4 percent. That is lower than the
    average rate of the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. The unemployment rate here
    in Pennsylvania is 5.6 percent. So long as anybody is looking for a job,
    we'll continue to expand with pro-growth, pro-small-business, pro-
    entrepreneur economic policies.
        I believe the most solemn duty of the American President is to
    protect the American people. If America shows uncertainty and weakness
    in this decade, the world will drift toward tragedy. This is not going
    to happen on my watch.
        Audience members. Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!
        The President. I am running for President with a clear and positive
    plan to build a safer world and a more hopeful America.

    [[Page 2310]]

    I'm running with a compassionate conservative philosophy that Government
    should help people improve their lives, not try to run their lives. I
    believe this Nation wants steady, consistent, principled leadership, and
    that is why, with your help, we'll carry Pennsylvania and win a great
    victory in November.
        The world in which we live is changing, and I understand that. Think
    about the workplace a couple of decades ago. A person would generally
    have one job, one career, one pension plan, one health care plan, and
    that person was usually a male. Today, the workforce has changed a lot.
    People change careers. They change jobs. Women are working inside the
    house and outside the house. It's a changing world we live in, and yet,
    the fundamental institutions of our Government, the fundamental systems,
    the Tax Code, health coverage, pension plans, worker training, were
    created for the world of yesterday, not tomorrow. In a new term, we'll
    transform these systems so that all citizens are equipped, prepared, and
    thus truly free to make your own choices so you can pursue the great
    dreams of America.
        A hopeful society is one in which this economy continues to grow. To
    create more jobs in America, America must be the best place in the world
    to do business. If you want jobs here, this has got to be the best place
    in the world for people to employ people. That means less regulations on
    our small businesses. That means legal reform so frivolous lawsuits
    don't make it hard for expanding the job base.
        In order to keep jobs here, Congress needs to pass my energy plan
    that encourages conservation, spends money on research so we can better
    use renewable sources of energy, promotes clean coal technology, uses
    technology to explore for natural gas in environmentally friendly ways.
    We want jobs here; this country must become less dependent on foreign
    sources of energy.
        To keep jobs here, we've got to reject economic isolationism and
    open up markets for U.S. products. We've opened up our markets, and it's
    good for you. The more products you have to choose from, the more likely
    it is you're going to get what you want at a better price or a higher
    quality. That's how the marketplace works. So I'm saying to places like
    China, ``You treat us the way we treat you.'' See, we can compete with
    anybody, anytime, anywhere if the rules are fair.
        Finally, to make sure we got jobs here and this economy stays
    strong, we've got to be wise about how we spend your money in Washington
    and we've got to keep your taxes low. Taxes are an issue in this
    campaign. I'm running against a fellow who has
    promised at least $2.2 trillion in new spending----
        Audience members. Boo-o-o!
        The President. ----so far. [Laughter] Just getting into October.
    [Laughter] Two-point-two trillion is a lot, even for a Senator from
    Massachusetts. [Laughter] So they said, ``How are you going to pay for
    it?'' He said, ``That's easy. We'll just tax
    the rich.'' Yes, we've heard that before, haven't we? [Laughter] You
    can't raise enough money by taxing the rich to pay for $2.2 trillion of
    new spending. There's a tax gap. Guess who fills the tax gap?
        Audience members. [Inaudible]
        The President. Yes. You've heard ``tax the rich'' before, but the
    rich hire lawyers and accountants for a reason--to stick you with the
    bill. The good news is, we're not going to let him tax you because we're going to win in November.
        When it comes to taxes, we've got to do something about the Tax
    Code. It's a complicated mess, full of special interest loopholes. In a
    new term, I'll bring Republicans and Democrats together to make this Tax
    Code more fair for you. We'll make sure our workers have the skills they
    need. We'll make sure these training programs work and make sure they've
    got the opportunity to go to community colleges to be

    [[Page 2311]]

    able to match their desire to work with the skills necessary to fill the
    jobs of the 21st century.
        I'll tell you what also I understand in a changing world, most new
    jobs are filled by people with at least 2 years of college, yet, that's
    why I'm for--yet, only one in four of our students gets there. That's
    why I'm for early intervention programs in our high schools to help our
    at-risk kids. That's why I'm for emphasizing math and science in the
    classrooms. That's why, over time, we should require a rigorous
    examination before graduation. By raising performance in our high
    schools and by expanding Pell grants for low- and middle-income
    families, we will help more Americans start their career with a college
    diploma.
        In a time of change, we've got to do something about the health care
    system. The costs are rising rapidly. They burden our economy, and too
    many people are uninsured. I have a commonsense, practical plan to make
    high quality health care more available and more affordable. And we have
    a difference in this campaign when it comes to health care. If you
    listen carefully to what my opponent proposes,
    he wants Government to dictate. He wants Government to tell you how to
    purchase your health care. He wants the Federal Government to run health
    care. I want you to decide. I want you to be the decisionmaker when it
    comes to health care.
        More than half of Americans who are currently uninsured work for
    small businesses. Small businesses are having trouble affording health
    care. We've got to change the law to allow small businesses to join
    together so they can purchase insurance at the same discounts big
    businesses get to do.
        We'll expand tax-free health savings accounts. We'll give small
    businesses tax credits to pay into health savings accounts for their
    employees. We want more workers to have their own health accounts so
    they can base medical decisions on advice from their doctor, not in
    negotiations with an HMO. It makes sense for people to own their own
    health account. If you're changing jobs or careers, you want to be able
    to carry your health account with you. You want to be able to manage it
    yourself.
        Listen, I understand we need to take care of the poor and the
    indigent in this country, and we will by expanding community health
    centers to every poor county in America.
        But let me tell you what else we need to do to make sure health care
    is available and affordable. We need to do something about these
    frivolous lawsuits that are running good docs out of business. You
    cannot be pro-doctor, pro-patient, and pro-trial-lawyer at the same
    time. You have to choose. My opponent made his
    choice, and he put a trial lawyer on the
    ticket.
        Audience members. Boo-o-o!
        The President. I made my choice. I'm for medical liability reform--
    now. In all we do to make sure we reform health care, I will make sure
    that the medical decisions are made by patients and doctors, not by
    bureaucrats in Washington, DC.
        We'll continue to promote an ownership society in America--in
    changing times, provide stability in somebody's life if they own their
    own home. Homeownership rates are at an alltime high in America. Over
    the next 4 years, we'll continue to expand ownership--homeownership to
    every corner of America. I want more and more people opening the door
    where they live saying, ``Welcome to my house. Welcome to my piece of
    property.''
        Let me talk about Social Security right quick. You remember what
    happened in the campaign in 2000. They said, ``If George W. gets
    elected, they're going to take away the checks of the seniors on Social
    Security.'' You remember that, don't you? Yes, it didn't happen. So when
    they try and say it again in 2004, don't believe them. You'll get your
    checks. If you're a baby boomer like me, we're okay; we'll get our
    checks.

    [[Page 2312]]

        But we need to worry about our children or grandchildren when it
    comes to Social Security. I believe younger workers ought to be able to
    take some of their own tax money and set up a personal savings account
    to make sure Social Security fulfills its promise, a personal savings
    account they call their own, a personal savings account that Government
    cannot take away.
        In this world of change, some things do not change, the values we
    try to live by, courage and compassion, reverence and integrity. In
    times of change, we'll support the institutions that give our lives
    direction and purpose, our families, our schools, our religious
    congregations. We stand for a culture of life in which every person
    counts and every being matters. We stand for marriage and family, which
    are the foundations of our society. We stand for the appointment of
    Federal judges who know the difference between personal opinion and the
    strict interpretation of the law.
        This election will also determine how America responds to the
    continuing danger of terrorism. Since that terrible morning of September
    the 11th, 2001, we have fought the terrorists across the Earth, not for
    pride, not for power, but because the lives of our citizens are at
    stake. Our strategy is clear. We're defending the homeland. We're
    transforming our volunteer army. We will keep it an All-Volunteer Army.
    We're reforming and strengthening our intelligence services. We're
    staying on the offensive. We'll strike the terrorists abroad so we do
    not have to face them here at home. We will work to advance liberty in
    the broader Middle East and around the world, and we will prevail.
        Our strategy is succeeding. Think about this: Four years ago,
    Afghanistan was the home base of Al Qaida; Pakistan was a transit point
    for terrorist groups; Saudi Arabia was fertile ground for terrorist
    fundraising; Libya was secretly pursuing nuclear weapons; Iraq was a
    gathering threat; and Al Qaida was largely unchallenged as it planned
    attacks.
        Because America led, Afghanistan is free and is fighting terror;
    Pakistan is capturing terrorist leaders; Saudi Arabia is making raids
    and arrests; Libya is dismantling its weapons programs; the army of a
    free Iraq is fighting for freedom; and more than three-quarters of Al
    Qaida's key members have been brought to justice.
        This progress involved careful diplomacy, clear moral purpose, and
    some tough decisions. And the toughest came on Iraq. We knew Saddam
    Hussein's record of aggression. We knew his
    support for terror. Remember, Saddam harbored Abu Nidal, the leader of a
    terrorist organization that carried out attacks in Europe and Asia. We
    knew he harbored Abu Abbas, who took refuge in Baghdad after he killed
    an American, Leon Klinghoffer, because he was Jewish. We knew
    Zarqawi was in and out of Baghdad. We
    knew Saddam Hussein's long history of pursuing and even using weapons of
    mass destruction. He was a threat.
        Audience members. Yes!
        The President. And we understand that after September the 11th, we
    must take threats seriously before they fully materialize. That's a
    lesson we must never forget. I'll never forget it. I went to the
    Congress. Members of both political parties, including my
    opponent, looked at the same intelligence I
    looked at and came to the same conclusion as my administration came to,
    that Saddam Hussein was a threat. They
    authorized the use of force.
        Before the Commander in Chief ever commits troops into harm's way,
    we must try everything possible to deal with threats--everything
    possible. So I went to the United Nations in the hopes that diplomacy
    would work. I hoped that Saddam Hussein would listen to the demands of
    the free world. The United Nations debated the issue. They voted 15 to
    nothing to say to Saddam Hussein, ``Disclose,
    disarm, or face serious consequences.'' I believe when an international
    body speaks, it must mean what it says in order to keep

    [[Page 2313]]

    this world peaceful. When you say something, you better mean it.
        But Saddam Hussein didn't believe the United Nations. After all,
    he'd ignored 16 other resolutions. Last night, my opponent said
    something about, ``Well, maybe another resolution would have helped.'' I
    just don't think it's realistic. As a matter of fact, the U.N. sent
    inspectors into Iraq, and as David Kay's report
    showed, Saddam Hussein was systematically
    deceiving the inspectors. Somehow thinking inspectors would have caused
    Saddam Hussein to change is not very clear thinking.
        And so at this point in time, I realized diplomacy wasn't working.
    And so I had a choice to make: Do I take the word of a madman and forget
    the lessons of September the 11th, or take action to defend this
    country? Given that choice, I will defend America every time.
        We didn't find the stockpiles everybody thought was there. But
    knowing what I know today, I would have taken the same action. And the
    reason why is because Saddam Hussein had the
    capability of making weapons of mass destruction. And had the world
    turned its head, he would have made those weapons. Had we hoped that a
    resolution would have worked, he would have been able to realize his
    dreams. He could have passed that capability or those weapons on to
    terrorists that hate us. After September the 11th, that was a chance we
    could not afford to take. The world is better off with Saddam Hussein
    sitting in a prison cell.
        By protecting ourselves, 50 million people now live in freedom in
    Afghanistan and Iraq. And that's in our national interest. Just think
    about what's happened in Afghanistan. It used to be run by this barbaric
    group called the Taliban. Many young girls were not allowed even to go
    to school. Their mothers were taken in the public square and whipped
    because they refused to toe the line of their dark ideology of hatred.
    Because we acted, 10 million citizens, 41 percent of whom are women,
    have registered to vote in the upcoming Presidential election. In 3
    short years, those people have gone from darkness to light because of
    liberty. And now Afghanistan is an ally in the war on terror, and they
    serve as a bright example for others who wonder whether or not they can
    live in a free society.
        In Iraq, it's hard work. You know it's hard work, and so do I. But
    Iraq now has a strong Prime Minister, a National
    Council, and national elections are scheduled for January. We'll succeed
    in Iraq if we don't send the wrong messages. We'll succeed in Iraq
    because we've got a plan. And here's the plan. We'll train Iraqis so
    they can do the hard work in defending themselves; 100,000 troops are
    trained today, 125,000 by the end of the year. We'll continue to work
    with them, to give them the equipment, the training they need to defend
    themselves against the attacks of these terrorists. We'll help them to
    get the stability, help them on the road to democracy. And then our
    troops will come home with the honor they have earned.
        We've got a great United States military, and I want to thank the
    veterans who are here today for having set such a great example for
    those who wear the uniform.
        I believe in the transformational power of liberty. I've talked to
    Prime Minister Koizumi quite a bit since
    I've been your President. He's the Prime Minister of Japan. I like to
    tell this story because I want people to understand exactly what I mean
    by the transformational power of liberty. It's generally a little longer
    word than I use--[laughter]--transformational. [Laughter]
        Prime Minister Koizumi is the head of
    a country that was our sworn enemy some 60 years ago. Think about that.
    My dad fought against the Japanese. John's
    dad, grandfather, many of your dads and
    grandfathers did the same thing. Japan was the sworn enemy of America.
    Harry Truman, after World War II, believed that liberty could transform
    an enemy into an ally. So

    [[Page 2314]]

    after we won that war, despite skepticism of some, he worked to help
    Japan become a democracy. And as a result of the belief that liberty can
    change societies, today, I sit down at the table, talking about the
    peace we all long for, with the head of Japan. Someday, when we succeed
    in Iraq, an American President will be sitting down with a duly elected
    leader of Iraq talking about the peace, and the world our children and
    grandchildren will grow up in will be better for it.
        I believe people long to live in a free society. I believe women in
    the greater Middle East long to live in freedom. I believe that if given
    the chance, the people of that troubled part of the world will embrace
    the most honorable form of Government ever devised by man. I believe all
    these things because freedom is not America's gift to the world; freedom
    is the Almighty God's gift to each man and woman in this world.
        This young century will be liberty's century. By promoting freedom
    at home and abroad, we will build a safer world and a more hopeful
    America. By reforming our systems of Government, we'll help more
    Americans realize their dreams. We'll spread ownership and opportunity
    to every corner of this country. We'll pass the enduring values of our
    country to a new generation. We will continue to make the world more
    peaceful and more free.
        For all Americans, these years in our history will always stand
    apart. There are quiet times in the life of our Nation when little is
    expected of its leaders. This isn't one of those times. This is a time
    when we need firm resolve, clear vision, and a deep faith in the values
    that makes this a great nation.
        None of us will ever forget that week when one era ended and another
    began. On September the 14th, 2001, I stood in the ruins of the Twin
    Towers. It's a day that I'll never forget. There were workers in
    hardhats yelling at me at the top of their lungs, ``Whatever it takes.''
    I remember trying to console people as best I could, and a guy grabbed
    me by the arm, and he said, ``Do not let me down.'' Every day since that
    day, I wake up trying to figure out how better to protect our country. I
    will never relent in defending America, whatever it takes.
        Four years ago, as I traveled your great State asking for the vote,
    I made a pledge that if you gave me a chance to serve, I would uphold
    the dignity and the honor of the office to which I had been elected.
    With your help, with your hard work, I will do so for 4 more years.
        Thanks for coming. God bless. I appreciate you all. Thank you all.

    Note: The President spoke at 11:33 a.m. at Lehigh Parkway. In his
    remarks, he referred to Senator Zell Miller of Georgia, who made the
    keynote address at the 2004 Republican National Convention; Charles W.
    Dent, candidate for Congress in Pennsylvania's 15th Congressional
    District; senior Al Qaida associate Abu Musab Al Zarqawi; David Kay,
    former CIA Special Advisor for Strategy Regarding Iraqi Weapons of Mass
    Destruction Programs; Prime Minister Ayad Allawi of the Iraqi Interim
    Government; and Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi of Japan.